Follower.



J. A. FRASER & C. H..MARTIN.

FOLLOWER.

APPLICATION FILED APB.18, 1911.

1,068,493. Patented July 29, 1913.

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il STATE onrio.

JOHN A. FRASER AND CHESTER H. MARTIN, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO GEORGE B. MELENEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLLOWER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOHN A. FRASER and CHESTER H. MARTIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Followers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in followers for index drawers and has for its object the production of a follower that while in operative position is held rigidly in place yet may be easily moved longitudinally within the drawer in which it is placed.

A further object is the production of a device preferably made completely of metal, of simple construction and one not at all liable to disarrangement of parts.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are obtained by our device, an embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of a portion of the drawer with our follower in place; Fig. 2 represents a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and Fig. 3 represents a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, 4: represents an ordinary tray or cabinet designed to carry cards or anything of like description, the sides 5 of which are turned downwardly at their top, forming channels 6 within which the follower moves.

No claim whatever is made to any specific form of drawer or case, the entire invention residing in the follower proper. This follower, as constructed, is formed from a single sheet of metal having a downwardly projecting portion 7 extending from the top of the drawer to the bottom, the upper end being bent forward horizontally practically atright angles to the member 7 forming a to 8.

'lhe rearward edge of the top 8 is bent downwardly at right angles, forming a small flange 9, and the outer ends of said Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 18,

Patented July 29, 1913.

1911. Serial No. 621,807.

flange are separated from the main body, and turned inwardly, forming ears 10, the purpose of which will be explained later. On the extreme outer edges of the follower are flanged integral guiding members 12 adapted to slide within the grooves 6 by means of which the follower is held in place within the drawer.

Mounted on the under face of the top 8 of the follower is a spring member 13 comprising a coiled central portion 14 and extending curved wing members 15, the ends of'the spring then extending forward in line with the movement of the follower, as shown at 14 and being bent sharply at 1t The ends of the members 15 pass through holes in the ears 10 and are pointed at the extreme ends where they are adapted to engage the sides of the drawer. The spring mem ber 13 is held in place and operated by means of a pair of levers 16, 17, passing through openings 16 17, in the top plate. These levers are hingingly secured together at their ends 18 below the under face of the top 8 and at their upper ends are enlarged, forming gripping members 19.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 3 that the portions 14 of the spring pass between the confined ends of the lever so when the gripping ends 19 of the levers are pressed together the ends 15 of the springs are pulled inwardly out of engagement with the sides of the box but are not pulled far enough in to slip out of the ears 10. All portions of the spring member 13 occupy the same horizontal plane and fit closely against the under face of the member 8.

It will thus be noted that we have devised a follower of extremely simple construction made practically from an integral piece of sheet metal having but a single spring member wit-h very little opportunity for failure in the operation of the device. We have shown the spring member formed with a .coil and the outwardly extending ends or wings as first extending in a line parallel with that of the line of movement of the follower and then curved outwardly and passed through the ear. It is apparent that other shapes of springs may be utilized by means of which similar results would be accomplished and we do not limit ourselves to the specific form of spring illustrated. So, also, while we show the ends of the spring as pointed and adapted to engage the sides of the box, or practically to bite into the sides, a spring in which the ends were smooth or flatten-ed might serve the same purpose provided there was sufiicient strength in the spring itself to hold the follower rigidly in place.

7 The method of relieving the tension of the spring from the side of the box isalso eX- tremely simple, but even that is capable of modification without departing from the spirit of our invention.

6 claim:

1. In a filing cabinet, the combination with a drawer, of a follower consisting of a plate having a sliding engagement with the sides of said drawer, a follower face extending downwardly from said plate, a spring clamping member supported by said plate, gripping members projecting above said plate and adapted to engage said clamping member and throw it out of engagement with said sides.

2. Ina filing cabinet, the combination with a drawer, of a follower consisting of a plate having a sliding engagement with the sides of said drawer, a follower face extending downwardly from said plate, spring iiieans supported by said plate and adapted to be normally in engagement with said sides, said means comprising a. central coiled spring, the ends of which extend forwardly and outwardly therefrom and gripping members adapted to engage and operate said spring means.

3. In a filing cabinet, the combination with a drawer, of "a follower consisting of a plate having a sliding engagement with the sides of said drawer, a follower face 6X- tending downwardly from said plate, spring means supported by said plate and adapted to be normally in engagement with said sides, said means comprising a central coiled spring, the ends ofwhich extend forwardly and outwardly therefrom and terminate in sharpened ends and gripping members adapted to engage and operate said spring means. 1

4:- A follower comprising a horizontally disposed plate having a follower face eX- tendmg downwardly therefrom and provided with downwardly extending ears on the outer edges, spring means supported on the under side of said plate and adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with the sides of a drawer, said means comprising a central coiled spring, the ends of which extend forwardly and outwardly passing through said ears.

A follower comprising a horizontally disposed plate having a follower face extending downwardlytherefrom and provided with downwardly extending ears on the outer edges, spring means supported on the under side ofsaid plate and adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with the sides of the follo-wer drawer, said means comprising a ceiitral coiled spring, the ends of which extend forwardly and outwardly passing through said ears, and gripping members extending above said plate adapted to operate said spring member.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. FRASER, CHESTER H. MARTIN.

lVitnes'ses LUIELLA ADAMS, WARREN Cannon.

Copies of this patent inay be obtained for five cents each, by redressing the 'bdinnii'ssion'er of l atents, Washington, D. (3.? 

